Why should breakfast buffets in hotels end by 10.30 am? Why should guests inform the hotel if they want to check in earlier or check out later?
Eager to project the brand as a lifestyle entity, its founder, Kapil Chopra, is introducing ancillary products like its tea, snacks and wine range along with fashion-oriented holiday essentials
Why should breakfast buffets in hotels end by 10.30 am? Why should guests inform the hotel if they want to check in earlier or check out later?
Why should the minibar have highly processed snacks and beverages instead of healthier options? Why should guests prepare their morning tea or coffee from sachets instead of enjoying a pot that is freshly brewed?
Why? Why? Why?
Questioning every aspect of a guest's journey in a hotel is what hotelier Kapil Chopra does constantly, and upon getting workable answers, he evaluates how to best implement it at The Postcard Hotel, the upscale hotel brand he launched five years ago. Already, the brand has nine operational properties with assets worth over Rs 2,672 crore locked in for two decades, with six more to be launched soon.
"The cost of eggs remains the same whether breakfast is served at 8.30 am or 12noon. So why shouldn't guests have the flexibility to decide when to eat breakfast?" Kapil asks.
His inquisitiveness into the guest journey harks back to his experience of working closely with the late Prithviraj Singh Oberoi (PRS), executive chairman of the Oberoi Group, for over 14 years. He recalled PRS telling him many moons ago during this stint as the general manager of Trident Gurgaon, "Never compromise. Because if you do that, you will compromise on the guest experience."
That statement stayed with Kapil when he decided to build The Postcard Hotel as a brand that doesn't compromise on anything. This is why its guests can curate their stay and feel free to colour outside the lines.
The global travel and tourism industry, which underwent a rough patch during the pandemic, has rebounded robustly. According to Technavio's market research, the luxury travel market is likely to reach $703.14 billion between 2022 and 2027, registering an 11.5 per cent CAGR.
Kapil believes that this ultra-luxury traveller base, primarily comprised of affluent Indians, seeks such soft touches while travelling. Their penchant for uber-luxurious accommodations is driven by the increasing percentage of affluent people with larger disposable incomes, which they are channelling towards domestic travel.
A survey conducted by The Postcard Hotel found that at least 98 per cent of tourists visit Jaipur and Kochi at least once. "Hence, we want to open hotels where Indians holiday," Kapil emphasised. "And we want to give the luxurious experience they might not get anywhere else."
He is alluding to the upcoming hotel in Ranthambore, designed by architect Luca Franco of Luxury Frontiers, which will feature spacious 1,950 square feet rooms and a private heated pool. This is also why Postcard will open a hotel in Andhra Pradesh's Tirupati.
Kapil noted that this was a no-brainer as the temple town reportedly gets around 1 lakh tourists daily, which includes NRIs and those who want to solemnise their nuptials. However, it lacked an upscale branded hotel that could cater to this demographic with spacious rooms and lavish amenities. He also quickly noted that this does not mean the company will foray into other religious spots unless there is a pertinent demand and supply issue for luxurious accommodations.
This laser focus while selecting suitable locations is critical for the company to maintain a 40 per cent operating margin. Kapil hopes to increase this figure with better distribution strategies, including collaborating with airlines like Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific and banking partners like Axis Bank, where its hotel is part of the welcome benefit for Magnus credit card holders.
Three brands that built similar uber-luxurious properties globally were Aman Resorts, One & Only and Six Senses, which did it well. "However, over time, the founders overleveraged their assets and lost control of the brands," Kapil opined.
He added that many hospitality stakeholders operate from a place of vanity rather than prudence, with metrics like the number of rooms in their portfolio. This is unnecessary, he pointed out, saying that a 100-room hotel does not translate into a great property.
"To build a great brand, one should have the ability to say no and not enter into lengthy distributions; instead, they should keep their guest experience at their crosshairs," he said. "I want to build a luxury hotel brand with its roots in India."
The Postcard Hotel recently secured the 'World's Leading Emerging Boutique Hotel Brand 2023' award at the World Travel Awards held at Burj Al Arab in Dubai. It has also been awarded 'World's Leading Boutique Beach Hotel 2023' for its oceanfront property, The Postcard on the Arabian Sea, Karnataka.
Fortified with this global recognition, Kapil is eager to project the company as a lifestyle entity and is gearing up to introduce ancillary products like its own tea, snacks and wine range along with fashion-oriented holiday essentials, comprising tote bags, jeans, T-shirts and travel blankets. The customers will also double up its brand ambassadors, which will help the hotel company create a premium differentiation, putting head and shoulders above industry players.